Container handling machine



Sept. 12, 1944. A. E. ALMGREN CONTAINER HANDLING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 29, 1941 A INVENTOR.

BY i@ Sept. l2, 1944. A, E. ALMGREN CONTAINER HANDLING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.A

Filed March 29, 1941 F\WWH i 4NI 1 'yf MZ H210/ i I l w zf\ az m INVENTOR. l

Sept. 12, 1944. A. E. ALMGREN CONTAINER HANDLING MACHINE Filed March 29, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Sept. I2, 1944 CONTAINER HANDLING MACHINE August E. Almgren, Hillside, N. J., assigner to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a, corporation of New Jersey l vApplication March Z9, 1941, Serial No.v385,914

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to machines for handling containers and has particular reference to feeding a plurality of lines of containers through the machine simultaneously in different directions and with an intermittent movement.

An object of the invention is the provision in a. container handling machine of feeding devices which operate to feed two parallel lines of conf tainers in opposite directions, such machine occupying substantially the same floor space with no greater quantity of mechanism than that required for feeding only one line of containers.

Another object is the provision of such a feeding device wherein the lines of containers passing through the machine may be moved alternately with an intermittent motion so that the containers in each line may be progressively operated upon at various working stations disposed adjacent the path of travel of the containers.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a machine embodying the instant invention', with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken substantially along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1, with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section taken substantially along the line 3--3 in Fig. 1, with parts broken away;

Figs. 4 and 5 are schematic details of the feeding devices in the machine and showing the moving parts in different positions, with parts broken away; and

Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are fragmentary details of devices for performing desired operations'on the containers at various working stations in the machine, the views being drawn to various scales and showing the upper portion of a container in place in the devices, Figs. 6 and 8 being side elevations, Fig. 7 being a perspective view and Figs. 9 and 10 being sectional views.

As a preferred embodiment of the invention the drawings illustrate feeding devices as being associated with a machine for lling milk into empty square bre containers A (Fig. 7) of the character disclosed in United States Patent 2,085,979, issued July 6, 1937, to J. M. Hothersall. Such a container A is formed in its top end with a lling and dispensing opening B which when the empty container is received in the machine, is already closed with a hingedly attached friction plug closure element C.

The empty containers lA are introduced into the machine in an upright position and along a runway II (Fig, 1) in which the containers are crowded against each other in an orderly straight line. The containers are supported on a. bottom rail I2 secured to a frame I3 which constitutes the main frame of the machine. Side guide rails I4 secured to the main frame I3 maintain the containers in line while a top rail I5 prevents vertical displacement of the containers,

The innermost container A in the entering line stops against the inner pair of upper and lower guide rails I1, I8 (see also Fig. 3) of a4 container advancing runway I9 which preferably is disposed at right angles to the entrance runway II. This advancing runway extends longitudinally of the machine frame l3 and communicates with the entrance runway.

The container advancing runway I9 includes two spaced and parallel upper guide rails I1 and a top rail 2I which are secured to a bracket 22 bolted to the main frame I3. The runway also includes two spaced and parallel lower guide rails I8 and an intermediate bottom container support rail 24,

The containers A in the entrance runway I I are pushed individually sidewise into the advancing runway I9 yby a feeding device 25 and are propelled along the advancing runway in an intermittent or step-by-step movement in spaced and timed order. In moving along this runway the containers stop at working stations arranged against the runway for the performance of desired operations on the containers.

By way of example, in the instant machine the empty containers first may be advanced to a station D (Fig. 1) at which the closure element C is opened to uncover the filling opening B in the container` The opening of the closure element is preferably effected by a vacuum cup or sucker head 21 (Fig. 6) which is secured to a rocker shaft 28 (Fig. 1) carried in a bearing bracket 29 bolted to the main frame I3.

Rotation of the rocker shaft lifts the suction head and the closure element C. A holding arm 3| (Figs. 1 and 7) then comes into engagement with the raised closure -element and holds it open while the suction head is released from the element. This closure element opening and holding device is a usual lling machine attachment and is `disclosed in detail in United States Patent 2,174,514, issued October 3, 1939, to J. M. Hothersail.

When the opened container is moved through the next step of advancement the closure element is held open by the top guide rail 2l of the runway.

, J'Following this containeropenlng operation, a

" container A is advanced through three idle stations E. At each station along this runway the placed containers are centralized at the stations and are held against movement. This is brought about by a rod 34 which extends along the outer edge of the runway and is formed along its length with pairs `of spaced and inwardly extending prongs 35 which project into the runway. The ends of the rod are fixed in depending lever arms 36 (see also Fig. 3) which are mounted on a longitudinal rocker shaft 31 carried in bearing brackets 38 (Fig. 1) bolted to the main frame I3. The lever arms and the shaft may be rocked in any suitable manner in time with the passage of the containers along the runway.

Every time the containers are advanced one step the rocker shaft 31 moves the prongs 35 into the runway where they straddle the containers and shift them slightly forward or backward to bring them into the proper position. 'I'he prongs remain in place to hold the containers in this position while they are being operated. upon. Just before the next step of advancement, the shaft 31 rocks the prongs out of the runway to permit the containers to advance without interference.

When a container has advanced the entire length of the runway the feeding device pushes it cut of the end of the runway and into a pocket 4I of a multi-pocket rotating turret 42 (Figs. 1

' and 2). This turret is part of a filling mechanism F preferably of the character disclosed in detail in United States Patent 2,222,617, issued November 26, 1940, to J. M. Hothersall et al., on Filling machine. In this mechanism a measured charge of milk is filled into the container through its lling opening B. The turret is mounted on an intermittently rotated spindle 43 which may be revolved in any suitable manner in time with the other moving parts of the machine.

A container A received in a pocket 4I of the turret 42 is supported on a lifter pad 45 which is disposed under the pocket. The supported container is directly below one of a plurality of illling heads 46 (Figs. 2 and 8) which are secured toa tank 41 carried on the rotating spindle 43.

As the spindle 43 rotates, the lifter pad 4 5 raises :the container into engagement with the above filling head 46 so that the nozzle of the head is in inserted position in the filling opening B of the container. A curved guide rail 48 holds the container in its turret pocket. The filling of the container follows. By the time the turret has made approximately three-quarters of a revolution, the container is lled and has been returned to its original level with the lifter pad and is ready to be further advanced for closing.

At this place in the advancement of a container A, the feeding device 25 sweeps the filled container oi of vits lifter Vpad 45 and pushes it into a return runway 5I (Figs. 1 and 3). This return runway is similar in construction to the advancing runway I9 and it extends back along the machine main frame I3 in spaced and parallol relation to the advancing runway.

The return runway 5I includes a pair of spaced and parallel lower guide rails 52 with an intermediate container support rail 53 which are se.- cured to the main frame I3. The runway also includes a pair of spaced and parallel upper guide rails 54 which are secured to brackets 65 bolted to the main frame.

The feeding device 2l propels the nlled containers A along this return runway 5I in the same step-by-step-movement as in the advancing runway I9. Also in moving along this return runway, the containers may stop .at various working stations arranged adjacent the runway for the performance of desired operations on the containers. At each station the containers are centralized and temporarily held in place by centralizing devices 68 which are identical in construction and operation as those disposed adjacent the advancing runway I9.

By way of example, there are three working stations located along the return runway. The first of these is a closure element closing station G at which is located mechanism of the character disclosed in United States Patent 2,170,821, issued August 19, 1939, to J. M. Hothersall et al., on Can closing machine. As a container is moved into this station G the opened closure element C engages against a stationary plate 6I (Figs. 1

and 8) having an upwardly bent end piece 62./

The plate is secured by straps 64 to the upper guide rails 54. This plate pushes the closure elelocated inside the container and which seals the III closure element against accidental opening. This expanding operation is preferably performed by a clo-sing head 66 (Fig. 10) of the character dieclosed in the above mentioned Hothersall Patent 2,170,821. Spring held segmental jaws 61 enter the plug section of the closure element and expand it outwardly.

In some cases the filled containers may be marked with the date of filling. Accordingly, at another advanced station a marking device J (Fig. 1) may be provided. This marking device is preferably of the character disclosed in the Hothersall Patent 2,174,514. In this device pivoted jaws 68, 69 (Fig. 3) cooperate in squeezing the desired mark into a tcp edge of the container.

In the present case the marking of the container completes the operations to be performed on it and accordingly it is moved along the return runway to a place where it is assembled with other completed containers so that they may be vmanually removed to a suitable place of deposit or otherwise disposed of as desired.

The feeding device 25 which propels the containers along the runways I9, 5I will now be explained. This feeding device includes spaced and parallel upper and lower feeding elements 15 which are disposed in between the two runways I9, 5|. Each set of feeding elements 1ncludes a pair of spaced and parallel longitudinal feed bars 16, 11 having long integral feed fingers 18, 19 projecting outwardly therefrom along their length, resembling a rake.

These rake-like feed bars 16. 11 are mounted adjacent their ends, on upright pivot pins 8|, 82 (Fig. 2) which are secured in respective spaced crank arms 83, 84. The crank arms are mounted on the upper ends ofl vertical crank shafts 86, 61 which are Journaled in spaced bearings 86, 99 formed in a horizontal web section 9|. of the machine main frame I3. The vertical crank shafts 86, 81' are continuously rotated by bevel gears 92 which are carried on the lower ends o'f the shafts. These gears mesh with bevel gears 93 which are mounted on a drive shaft 94 journaled in bearings 95 formed in the machine main frame.

Hencethrough the gears 92, 83 the drive shaft 94 rotates the'crank shafts 86, 81 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 1, 4-and 5, and this swings the pivot pins 8|, 82 through circular paths of 'travel concentric with the crank shafts. This circular path of travel of the pivot pins imparts to the feed bars 1-6, 11 an oscillatory or double reciprocating motion which shifts them longitudinally and transversely of the machine simultaneously.

With such a motion the feed bars 18, 11 first move toward the advancing runway I9 and thus project the feed fingers 18 of feed bar 1'6into the path of travel of the containers in the runway, as best shown in Fig. 4. The feed ngers 19 on feed bar 11 are vaccordingly shifted out of and away from the return runway This movement is brought about by rotation of the crank arms 83, 84 swinging in a direction toward the advancing runway I9 and it is this movement that brings the feed fingers 18 into engagement with the containers in the advancing runway.

As the crank arms 83, 84 begin to swing away from the runway |9 the feed bars 16, 11 move toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 4, and also begin shifting transversely of the machine and away from the runway. It is this movement that advances the containers one step along the advancing runway I9. During this movement of the 4containers in the advancing runway, the containers in the return runway 5| are standing still and are being operated upon.

Continued rotation of the crank arms 83, 84 swings them from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 5. As they swing into this latter position they shift the feed bars 1B, 11 toward the return runway 5I and thus move the feed fingers 19 on bar 'I1 into the path of travel of the containers in this runway. This brings the fingers 19 into engagement with the containers and as the crank arms continue to rotate the feed bars are moved through a return stroke. As a result the containers in the return runway are advanced vtoward the left one step. During the advancement of the containers in this runway, the containers in the advancing runway I9 are standing still and are being operated upon.

In this manner, the rotating crank arms 83, 84 shift the proper feed fingers alternately into the two runways. Thus during each cycle the containers in one runway move first while those in the other runway remain stationary. following which those first moving come to rest and the stationary containers move.

Provision is made for adjusting the feed bars 16, 11 relative to each other and also relative to the working stations adjacent the runways so that they will properly locate the containers at the stations. For such adjustment the feed bar 16 adjacent its ends is formed with inwardly extending iiat lugs |0| having elongated longitudinally disposed slots |02. These slotted lugs t into bifurcated lugs |04 formed on the adjacent feed bar 11.

Adjacent the feed bar pivot pin 82, the feed bars 1B, 11 are secured together by bolts |06 (Fig. 2) which 'extend through suitable holes in the bifurcated lugs |04 and through the slot |02 in the lug IUI. By loosening these bolts the feed bars maybe shifted longitudinally of the machine. At this same end of the feed bars the upper and lower feed bars 11 are formed with yokes I 08 which straddle the pivot pins 82. spaced collars |09 on the pivot pins retain the yokes in vertical position. The yokes permit the adjustment of the feed bars.

At the opposite end of the feed bars 16, 11 the slotted lug |0| and the bifurcated lug |04 of the upper set of bars are mounted on a reduced diameter upper stud section III (Fig. 3) of the pivot pin 8|. 'I'his reduced section III forms a shoulder in the pivot pin to hold the feed bars at their proper elevation on the pivot pin. A locknut |I2 threaded on the reduced section I I I retains the feed bars in place.

The slotted and bifurcated lugs IOI, |04 of the lower set of feed bars at this end of the machine are mounted on a anged sleeve |I4 (Fig. 3) which surrounds a lower reduced diameter section I|5 of the pivot pin 8|. 'I'his reduced section is secured in the crank arm 83. The flange of the sleeve rests on the crank arm. The body 'of the sleeve extends up through holes in the bifurcated lug |04 and through the slot |02 in the lug |0I and terminates adjacent a shoulder II1 on the pivot pin. The shoulder confines the sleeve against vertical displacement. A nut ||8 threaded on the upper end of the sleeve holds the lugs in place on the sleeve.

These locknuts I|2, |I8 at this end of the feed bars are loosened at the same time that the bolts |06 at the other end of the bars are loosened. Thus accurate and quick adjustment of the bars may be obtained.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a container handling machine, the combination of a pair of spaced and parallel runways for the containers, said runways being disposed adjacent each other, a pair of feed bars xedly secured together located between said runways, pusher means on the outer edge of each feed bar, the pusher means of one bar projecting toward one runway and the pusher means of the other bar projecting toward the other runway, means for transferring containers from one runway to the other, and actuating means operable to move both feed bars longitudinally forward and backward and transversely as a unit so that the pusher means of one bar when the bars are movingforward will enter into the adjacent runway and will advance the containers in that runway, and when the bars are moving backward the pusher means of the other bar. will enter into the other runway and will move containers therein in a backward direction.

2. In a container handling machine, the combination of a pair of spaced and parallel runways for the containers, said runways being disposed in a horizontal plane in side by side relation, a pair of feed bars fixedly secured together located between said runways, a plurality of feed fingers spaced along the outer edge of each feed bar, the fingers of one bar projecting toward one runway and the fingers of the other bar projecting toward the other runway, means for transferring articles from one runway to the other, a pair of longitudinally spaced crank arms on which said feed bars are pivotally mounted,

and means for rotating said crank arms in unison to shift said feed bars as a unit forwardly and rearwardly through an oscillatory path of travel, so that the fingers of one bar when the bars are moving forward will enter into the ad- ,jacent runway and will advance the containers toward one runway and the fingers of the other bar projecting toward the other runway, means for transferring containers from one runway to the other, a pair of longitudinally spaced crank arms on which said feed bars are pivotally mounted, and means for rotating said crank arms in unison to shift said feed bars as a unit forwardly and rearwardly through an oscillatory path of travel, so that the fingers of one bar when the bars are moving forwardly will enter into the adjacent runway and will advance the containers in such runway, and when the bars are movingA rearwardly the fingers of the other bar will enter into the other runway and will move containers therein in the opposite directions along said runways in a step-by-step manner, and means for adjusting said feed bars relative to one another to vary the exnt of feeding movement.

-AUGUST E. ALMGREN. 

